Current 50 - No Increase in Sudden Cardiac Arrests and Death in Young Athletes During COVID-19

Summary

Despite early concerns that COVID-19 infection or mRNA vaccination led to increased risk of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and sudden cardiac death (SCD), a recent study published in JAMA Network Open revealed no statistically significant difference in the number of SCA and SCD cases in comparable time frames before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Using data from the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research (NCCSIR), the retrospective cohort study identified 387 cases (mean age 16.5 ± 2.8 years; 86.3% male) and compared the incidence of SCA and SCD in young competitive athletes in the three years before and after the pandemic (n=203 and n=184, respectively). Comparative analysis revealed that survival rates remained consistent (50.9%), and the proportion of SCD was similar during both time frames (52.2% pre-pandemic vs. 45.7% during the pandemic). Myocarditis was a confirmed etiology in three cases before the pandemic and four cases during the pandemic.

The study acknowledges limitations, including potential underreporting, reduced athlete participation during the pandemic (notably a 2.5% decline in college athletics during the 2020–2021 academic year), and incomplete etiological data.

Sources

Astley C, Petek BJ, Delong RN, et al. Sudden cardiac arrest among young competitive athletes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(2):e2461327. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.61327.

This summary was created with assistance from generative artificial intelligence (ChatGPT, 2025)